CENTER CHANGES NAME, TRIES TO GAIN MORE INVOLVEMENT FROM AREA TEENS

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Former members of the defunct Teen Activity Center are hoping to resurrect the group's activities through a new organization, the Teen Activity Council.

The new group's teen board of directors is made up of several of the former youth directors of the Teen Activity Center. The old center disbanded last year after financial difficulties forced it to abandon its facility at 1810 South Plaza Way.

But Debbie Oliver, a member of the old center's adult board of directors, said the group plans to resurrect teen activities and continue operating under the direction of the new Teen Activity Council.

Oliver said the group's first activity is a dance Jan. 25 at the A.C. Brase Arena Building to help raise money to pay some of the center's debts.

"It's a fund-raiser to resurrect teen activities and show the community that their efforts and donations didn't just go down the toilet," she said. "United Way is one of our biggest contributors, and they will be giving us enough money this year to pay a few of our debts from last year."

Oliver said utility and telephone bills from the Teen Activity Center still haven't been paid.

"I was very adamant that if we were going to continue to operate we needed to take care of our debts first so that, if we get our own building back, we'll be free and clear," she said.

The theme of the Jan. 25 dance, which will run from 7-11 p.m., is "Bringing Down the House," Oliver said. She said there will be a $2 admission fee to the dance, with proceeds going directly to the Teen Activity Council.

The Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Department will sponsor the dance.

"The community gave us so much support and so much money while we had the Teen Activity Center that I don't want them to feel that it's gone to waste," Oliver said. "This is the first opportunity to get our act together and get things going again."

The council's teen board meets twice monthly and now has 11 active members, Oliver said. She said the group is planning to have a major activity each month to try to garner more teen interest and to raise money.

In February the council is planning a "pizza project," which includes the teens making pizzas on an "assembly line." The pizzas then will be sold.

Oliver said the board is planning more activities throughout the spring.